


Drink

by THRILLHO



Series: Bright Lights, Eight Nights of Broten [3]
Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Drinking & Talking, Drinking Games, F/M, Fluff, Pillow & Blanket Forts, Wholesome, past Trunks/Mai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:40:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28037823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/THRILLHO/pseuds/THRILLHO
Summary: Trunks didn't know what would be spilled when he started playing a drinking game with his sister and best friend.
Relationships: Bulla Briefs/Son Goten
Series: Bright Lights, Eight Nights of Broten [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2049801
Comments: 11
Kudos: 17





	Drink

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lusta](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lusta/gifts).



> To Lusta for vanquishing the evil.

They took Bulma’s good dining chairs—the antique ones made out of endangered wood—and Trunks wasn’t sure if she would throw a fit if she found out. For all the money they had in the world, Bulma could be notoriously frugal when it came to personal effects. Trunks learned that the hard way when he destroyed the kitchen in a cooking experiment gone wrong and told her to, “Just buy a new one.” Trunks was convinced he lost some hearing in that ear.

“Okay, so,” Bulla said as she brought out the glasses and the liquor, “If you know us so well, Trunks…” His once little sister poured their bevy of hard alcohol into tumblers. It was like he blinked and she went from the lanky girl always threatening to beat him up to the statuesque woman before him pouring each of them enough booze to kill an elephant. “Then I don’t expect you to drink a drop of this.” She handed him his own glass filled to the brim.

“Are you sure it’s okay to use these blankets? And aren’t these throw pillows from the couch?” Goten looked around with worry. “Won’t your mom get upset?”

Bulla shrugged and gave Goten his glass to which he said thank you, of course. The poor man was always going to be a polite little boy inside, even for stuff he didn’t particularly want. “Whatever, mom can just buy new ones,” Bulla said.

Trunks silently shook his head at Goten when Bulla looked away and received a nod of understanding in return. The poor kid didn’t know what she was getting into but if she was willing to take the blame, the two friends would let her. 

Way long ago, Trunks had indulged Bulla by building blanket and pillow forts with her on the Capsule Corp grounds. Their parents—well, their mom—wasn’t much for the outdoor, camping life so Trunks simulated it for Bulla whenever she wanted to go ‘camping.’ Perhaps that’s why Bulla thought building a fort-like the ones in her childhood memories would cheer him up. The booze, food, and Goten were a given for a, ‘Cheer up Trunks’ party, however.

“How does this game go again?” Goten asked. Trunks shrugged. It was all Bulla’s idea but she was busy pouring herself a glass of wine in addition to the full glass of Trunks’ favorite scotch she already had after setting out different types of bread, meat, cheese, and other food and snacks.

“I think it’s like truth or dare without dares,” Trunks said.

Having finished her task, Bulla settled herself on a pillow to join the guys. “Nope, not at all like truth or dare,” Bulla said. “Each of us guesses something about each other, things we don’t already _know_ or just say some outright outrageous stuff, like, “Goten has a crush on Puar—”

“I do not!” Goten denied. A _little too much,_ Trunks thought.

“See?” Bulla said, taking a sip on the scotch and wincing a bit. “I was wrong so I took a drink.”

“Goten could be lying,” Trunks pointed out. “Maybe he does have the hots for Puar. She can shapeshift into anyone or anything.”

“I don’t!” Goten said.

“So take a drink, Trunks,” Bulla said. He did so, feeling the smooth woody scotch glide over his tongue and clear his throat. He didn’t know why Bulla didn’t like it. “Now if I were to guess something right about you or Goten, then whomever I was right about would take a drink. We’re going off the honor system and I think everyone will become a lot more truthful once we get rolling. Get it now?” 

Trunks exchanged a glance with a shrugging Goten before nodding to Bulla. His sister broke into a smile and bounced in her seat, plain excited they were going along with her idea. Trunks shook his head; he indulged her far too much. Now to make her pay.

Trunks decided to kick things off before anyone else could and pointed to his sister, “You have a vibrator.” Goten looked at Bulla open-mouthed in the most incredulous way as soon as Trunks finished his sentence. His best friend blinked wide-eyed then avoided looking at her altogether.

“Oh come on! That’s the first thing you had to say?” Bulla complained. Goten stayed silent, uncomfortable and no doubt wishing he were anywhere else, though he did steal quick occasional looks at Bulla. He was like that, Trunks knew, all respectable and proper. He stood no chance with two drunk Briefs siblings, let alone sober ones. 

“Drink,” he said.

“Pervert,” she shot back but made no move to order him to drink nor take a drink herself.

“You might as well ask me to lose my sense of hearing, that thing is loud. Drink.” He would die on this hill.

Bulla folded her arms over her chest, making no move to pick up her glass.“I will not! You’re wrong.”

_You asked for it, B!_ “Fine, you have three vibrators. Drink.”

“You are so gross!” Bulla scowled and took her gulp of liquor. Trunks noted Goten—no longer pretending he wasn’t in their makeshift tent—staring at Bulla wide-eyed again and silently mouthing, ‘Wow’ before averting his gaze from the girl and taking a drink even though no one told him to.

“Okay, I guess it’s my turn,” Bulla said, recovering quickly. She wiped her mouth of the excess liquor that dribbled down her lips, before speaking. “Goten,” she turned her devious expression to the quiet member of their group. He jumped up, not expecting to be called upon. Trunks hadn’t either. Only Bulla would be so arrogant to think she knew anything about _his_ best friend. “The reason you’ve never been married is because you haven’t found ‘the one.’” _Very shrewd, Bulla,_ Trunks thought with some surprise. He had wondered about it himself, but guys didn’t really talk about their feelings…

“Kind of,” Goten said as his eyes darted to Bulla for a second. He took a pathetic sip. 

“No, it has to be more than that, right, Bulla?” Trunks said, counting on his sister to help him gang up on his best friend.

“Totally,” she agreed and tipped the cup more when Goten naturally obeyed and took another sip. Her action made the man gag and sputter, getting more alcohol on his clothes than in his mouth.

“Not cool guys,” he said inspecting his white shirt. “I hope it doesn’t stain.”

“And you still didn’t drink enough,” Bulla tutted.

“Doesn’t your mom still clean your shirts?” Trunks couldn’t resist saying. 

A mischievous smile appeared on Goten’s face. _Uh oh._ “Drink,” Goten said.

“Ooh! You walked right into that one Trunks!” Bulla howled with laughter. “I didn’t know you had it in you, Goten.” She nudged him with her shoulder.

“Then don’t expect to win the game against me,” Goten said, the alcohol whittling away at his passivity.

“Well, you’re on a roll,” Trunks said. Still, Trunks was a good sport and took his gulp of liquor even though his best friend had just gotten the better of him and his sister.

“Goten, you make a guess now!” Bulla clapped her hands, that gleeful smile back on her face. Trunks rolled his eyes knowing his best friend would say something tame like Trunks’ favorite food was barbecue or something. Trunks put the glass to his mouth in anticipation of being right.

“Trunks isn’t as upset as he thinks he should be,” Goten said. Trunks stopped before taking a drink and put his glass down. His best friend was more astute than Trunks gave him credit for. No wonder they didn’t need to talk about feelings, they read each other perfectly well.

Trunks shrugged and picked his cup back up, taking the penalty drink. “My turn again, I guess,” he said, avoiding Bulla’s surprised gaze. To her credit, she didn’t press. “This one goes to both of you. You never liked Mai.”

Bulla actually snorted before she took her sip. “To say I am relieved is an understatement,” Bulla said, pulling no punches. “You’re better off without those hangers-on.”

Goten took his drink and chimed in with, “Cheers to that,” and clinked his cup with Bulla’s. Their words didn’t sting like Trunks thought it would. It had been a point of insecurity for him and his relationship that his best friend and sister didn’t seem to get on with his now ex-wife. No one was ever outright hostile but they never seemed to love each other as he loved each of them.

“You take this one, Goten,” Bulla said, drawing Trunks from his thoughts. “I’m still thinking, I don’t have almost forty years of friendship with you two under my belt.”

“Okay,” Goten paused for a moment to think. Moving on from the conversation so quickly stung more than Goten and Bulla openly admitting they never liked Mai. “Bulla, you care more about us than you let on.”

That one was fairly obvious to anyone but Bulla. She was just like their dad in that respect. Now it was Trunks’ turn to snort, he took one look at Goten and they both started sniggering. It really wasn’t that funny but Trunks was inebriated enough to find anything amusing.

“Ha ha, yes a girl has feelings,” Bulla said sarcastically and took her sip. The brim hardly left her lips before she pounced on her next accusation, “Trunks, this is the first time you’ve enjoyed yourself in months.”

Trunks, still quite a bit giggly, raised his eyebrow, that was rather wholesome. What was her endgame here? That he would go easy on her? _I won’t!_ Still, she was right and he took the obligatory drink much to the delight of Goten and Bulla who let out whoops and claps. 

When he was sober the idea seemed so preposterous that he refused to give it another thought. Bulla hadn’t put any ice in the drinks yet he swirled around his third-filled cup missing the sound of ice clanging together. He drank enough to find the idea plausible. “You two have been dating for the past…” Trunks struggled to remember when he first saw Goten graze his hand across her back and she didn’t react at all, as if she was used to it or at least welcomed his touch. Then there were the other things he ignored; the other cues that came after. Taken separately it was nothing but all together... _When did it all begin?_ “Three weeks?” he guessed. Their stunned gazes confirmed Trunks’ suspicion. _Now, let’s see if they’ll admit it._

Their stunned expressions disappeared as they looked at each other. Goten shrugged rather unbothered and Bulla smirked. That wasn’t the way he expected them to react and Trunks started second-guessing his drunken confidence.

“Drink,” they said simultaneously. So far, the honor system was working and he had no reason to doubt them, and noting he was near the end of his cup, he opted to chug it all but savor it in his mouth for a bit. It was the best, most expensive scotch on Earth, it did deserve some respect.

“It’s been three months,” Bulla said, grinning wickedly at him. 

To say the news caught him off guard was an understatement. He ended up spitting his drink over Goten despite his friend’s complaints. 

“Three months?! My best friend and my baby sis?! That long? Why didn’t you tell me?” He thought he had been the clever one seeing it right as it had happened but they were better at keeping things under wraps than he gave them credit for, particularly Goten. How was _he_ able to hide that?

“We’re telling you now,” Goten said. _Shameless as ever!_ Trunks thought. It was par for the course for Goten, his heart was so pure it likely never crossed his mind to see Bulla as an inferior, someone to take advantage of; he saw everyone as his equal. Trunks doubted Goten had been biding his time until Bulla was legal. If that was the case, he would have pounced on her long ago.

“Yeah, why else would we organize this carb and alcohol party for you?” Bulla said in between Trunks’ racing thoughts.

“You said this was to cheer Trunks up,” he heard Goten, past the point of sobriety, whisper to Bulla.

“I’m improvising,” she hissed. 

“It’s just the three of us, I wouldn’t consider it a party,” Trunks mumbled. “But three months? Why did you keep it a secret for so long?” The earlier mirth he was experiencing earlier started to disappear, replacing itself with disappointment. He thought either of them would come to him with _anything._

“That’s hardly long,” Bulla said, taking a sip of her wine glass she had on the side; she was never fond of straight liquors. “We just wanted to make sure things were serious before we ripped our families and friendships apart,” she joked but Trunks didn’t miss what she was implying. All of a sudden, Goten’s ‘kind of’ response made sense.

“And things are serious?” Trunks asked. He looked where they were sitting next to each other yet some distance apart but now their hands were outstretched with Bulla’s on top of Goten’s. They looked at each other fondly—the way Trunks and Mai used to look at each other—and smiled the warmest smiles he had ever seen on their faces. He was certain he’d never seen smiles like those on his or Mai’s faces.

“Yeah, it is,” his sister spoke and their hands went from merely resting on one another to intertwining.

Trunks collapsed back on his pile of pillows, his spirit having left him and leaving him as a husk of a limp body. _Bulla and Goten? Goten and Bulla?! What would dad say?_ Millions of thoughts raced through his mind at once and he paid no mind to what Goten and Bulla were doing at the moment. When he dared to come out of his head and sat up to look at the two, they weren’t even concerned for him! Goten and Bulla were focused only on each other with Goten hand-feeding focaccia to Bulla which she accepted with an open mouth.

“Really guys?” Trunks said, drawing their attention to him. “You really have to go from zero to one hundred?”

“Wha?” Bulla said with her mouth full of bread.

“That’s hardly one hundred,” Goten said. He turned from Trunks to look Bulla right in the eye like he wanted to devour her. “That’s like me getting on my knees, lifting her skirt, and—“

“Are you seriously going to be like this when you come out to everyone?!” Trunks said. He did not need Goten to finish that sentence. He was not drunk enough for it.

“No,” Bulla said, having swallowed her bread. “But we’re just really comfortable around you. We haven’t told anyone else. I don’t even think we’re ready to tell everyone else just yet. We weren’t even ready to tell you.”

“Oh no!” Trunks said. “I did not agree to be part of this deception. And you can think again if you think I’d be willing to cover for you.” 

Bulla rolled her eyes at him. “Relax, we don’t need you to lie for us. We’ve been covering it up pretty well on our own.”

“Yeah, and this is just phase one. Bulla and I both agreed you’re the person most important to us so you would get to know first.” Trunks then felt the serotonin diffuse throughout his brain. _They do care after all._ Goten and Bulla were his two favorite people too. 

They did look happy together; he grumbled a bit in his head. Goten was a great guy, he would totally do right by his sister. Bulla on the other hand...well, he had never seen her adore someone so much so maybe she would be good for him too. Goten certainly had trouble standing up for himself and Bulla’s trouble was standing up for herself too much...they would balance each other out, Trunks thought.

“Okay, then. I take it this isn’t negotiable?” Trunks asked though he knew the answer.

They both shook their heads and gave him condescending smiles.

“Can you at least tell me how this all started?” Trunks was drawing a blank there. He didn’t even know they talked to each other without him as a conduit. What he saw three weeks ago was definitely a shock but he figured they had gotten to know each other better when Trunks moved back into Capsule Corp a mere two months ago but that left a whole month unaccounted for.

Bulla responded by refilling his glass to the brim, her impish streak out in full force. “I don’t know, let’s play the game and see.” 

“Fine,” Trunks said and took the glass in his hand. “You,” he pointed to Bulla, wasting no time, “had the crush first.”

“Drink.” It was not his sister who said it but his best friend. Goten looked a little embarrassed, his cheeks were already a little red from the drinking but they were subtly more ruddy than before.

“Seriously?” Trunks asked his longtime friend before taking his penalty drink. “Why?”

“I saw her fight,” Goten shrugged.

That must be all it took for Son men. They liked their women dangerous and feisty. Now Trunks was wondering why it didn’t happen sooner.

“Okay, my turn!” Bulla piped up. “Trunks,” she addressed him. “You’re actually okay with all of this.”

Trunks took another sip from his glass.

  
  



End file.
